Synthesis and catalase activity of manganese (ii) complexes of cis-5-norbornene-endo-2, 3-dicarboxylic acid (ndaH2): x-ray crystal structure of [Mn(qb11-nda)(phen)2]• EtOH'H20 (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline)

Manganese(II) chloride reacts with the sodium salt of cis-5-norbornene-endo- 2,3-dicarboxylic acid (ndaH2) in aqueous media to give the manganese(II) complex [Mn (nda)H20] (1). Complex 1 reacts with 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) to give the mononuclear manganese(II) adduct [Mn(~/lql-nda)(phen)2] • EtOH" H20 (2). The X-ray crystal structure of 2 shows the manganese atom at the centre of a distorted N402 octahedron comprising four nitrogen atoms from two chelating phen ligands, and two oxygen atoms, one from each of the two carboxylate functions of the nda 2- ligand. Spectroscopic and magnetic data for 1 and 2 are reported, together with their catalytic activity towards the disproportionation of H202